The Retrospective Roles of Black Women in the Coddling of Black Boys

ABSTRACT

This study reports the secondary analysis of a theme that emerged from a larger study on Black women’s perceptions of Black men’s depression. This emerging theme was concerning the role of Black women in rearing Black boys. Eight focus groups with Black women (N = 46) were used to further explore this theme. Our secondary analysis identified three subthemes, including the (a) presence (or absence) of fathers in parenting Black children, (b) Black women’s role in coddling Black boys, and (c) Black women’s role in “raising” Black girls. Study implications include the contextual lens that underscores parenting variations within Black families.

KEYWORDS:

• Black children
• coddling
• gender differences
• parenting
• raising and rearing

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to acknowledge Jamie M. Abelson, Antonette Harmon, and Janelle Goodwill for their contributions to this project and the study participants for sharing their stories. This work was also funded in part by the Michigan Center For Urban African American Aging Research and the National Institute on Aging (Award 5P30 AG015281).

Funding

This project was funded in part by the Sisters Fund for Global Health, awarded to the lead investigator (Watkins) by the Institute for Research on Women and Gender (IRWG) at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Additional information

Funding

This project was funded in part by the Sisters Fund for Global Health, awarded to the lead investigator (Watkins) by the Institute for Research on Women and Gender (IRWG) at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.